Chapter 22
Kat
I crept towards the warehouse, sticking to the shadows. A bay door stood open, and I slipped inside behind a truck that was parked there. The acrid smell of smoke filled my nostrils and tickled my throat as I stood there, scanning my surroundings. Somewhere in the darkness, I heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire. My muscles tensed, ready for action.
I crouched, as I made my way deeper inside, my eyes scanning the smoky interior for any sign of them. The warehouse was a maze of crates and machinery, and I had no idea where to begin.
Suddenly, a figure loomed out of the smoke. I tensed, ready to strike, but relaxed when I recognized Rory’s broad shoulders and dark hair.
“Kat?” he hissed, a hint of surprise in his voice. “What the hell are you doing here? ”
“Saving your ass, apparently,” I shot back, ignoring the way my heart raced at the sight of him. “What happened?”
Rory’s face darkened. “Ambush. The Russians. Somehow, they knew we’d be here.”
Before I could respond, a bullet whizzed past my ear. Rory grabbed my arm, yanking me behind a stack of crates as more gunfire erupted.
“Stay down!” he growled, his body shielding mine.
I stiffened at his protectiveness. “I can handle myself.”
His eyes met mine, a mix of exasperation and something else I couldn’t quite name. “Yeah, I know, you keep saying that. But humor me, will you?”
Another explosion rocked the building. As dust and debris rained down around us, I clutched Rory’s shirt, our faces inches apart. For a moment, the chaos faded away, and all I could focus on was the warmth of his breath on my cheek and the rapid beating of his heart against my fist.
“We need to move,” Rory whispered, his lips brushing my ear. “There’s a back exit, but we’ll have to fight our way through.”
I nodded, pushing aside the confusing mix of adrenaline and attraction coursing through me. “ Lead the way.”
We crept along the edge of the warehouse, staying low and using the crates as cover. The gunfire was sporadic now, interrupted by shouts in Russian. I caught glimpses of shadowy figures moving in the smoke, but I couldn’t tell who they were.
Suddenly, a hulking Russian appeared from behind a forklift, his gun trained on Rory. Without thinking, I launched myself at him. My fist connected with his jaw as I swept his legs out from under him. He went down hard, his gun skittering across the concrete floor.
“Your leg Kat! You shouldn’t have done that,” Rory said, concern etching his voice.
I winced at the pain. A reminder that my leg still wasn’t completely healed. “Yeah. I’m going to pay for that come tomorrow.”
He helped me up, and half carried me to the exit, five feet from it a single shot rang out, the bullet struck the wall inches from my head.
“Fuck!” I squeaked, diving through the doorway. Rory was right behind me, slamming the door shut, then he jammed it with a metal pipe he found laying on the ground.
Outside, the cool night air was a shock after the smoky warehouse. In the distance, I could hear sirens approaching.
“Cops are on the way,” I panted. “Wren must have—”
My words were cut off as Rory suddenly pulled me close, his lips crashing into mine. For a moment, I was too stunned to react. Then, I found myself kissing him back, all the tension and fear of the night pouring into that one desperate act.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, Rory’s eyes were dark with a mix of desire and something that looked suspiciously like guilt.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” he murmured.
Before I could respond, Declan and Connor came running from around the building.
“Don’t just stand there guys! Gotta go!” Declan yelled as they ran past.
“What? Why? Kat can’t run!!” Rory said as he scooped me up into his arms.
“Put me down, you idiot!” I hissed, but Rory’s grip only tightened as he started running after Declan and Connor.
“Not a chance, darlin’,” he panted. “Your leg’s busted, and we’ve got bigger problems than your pride right now.”
As if on cue, an explosion rocked the night behind us. The force of it nearly knocked Rory off his feet, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck to keep from falling.
“Jesus Christ!” I yelped. “What the hell was that?”
“Insurance policy,” Declan called back over his shoulder. “Can’t leave any evidence for the cops.”
We rounded a corner, and I saw a black SUV idling at the curb. Wren was behind the wheel, her face a mask of concentration as she scanned the street.
“About fucking time!” she shouted as we approached. “Get in, you idiots!”
Connor yanked open the rear door, and Rory practically tossed me inside before climbing in after me. Declan took shotgun, and we peeled away from the curb just as another explosion lit up the night sky.
“You know,” I said, trying to catch my breath as Wren weaved through traffic like a maniac, “When you said you wanted me to go undercover this isn’t exactly what I had in mind, Declan.”
My half-brother glanced back at me, his expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. “What can I say, Kat? Family bonding time got a little out of hand.”
“A little?” I scoffed. “You guys just blew up a warehouse full of Russian mobsters! Has Marcus even been found yet?”
“Oh yeah.” Wren piped up. “That’s the funny part. Chris and Max picked him up, after we left, trying to sneak back into the club. They took him to the house.”
Declan whipped his head in her direction. “The house?! What the fuck for?”
She shrugged. “They were worried that Volkov knew about the warehouse.”
Rory let out a low whistle. “Well, that complicates things. Volkov’s not gonna be happy when he finds out his buddy is at the estate.”
I shifted uncomfortably, my injured leg throbbing and groaned, leaning my head back against the seat. “Great. This night just keeps getting better and better.”
Rory chuckled beside me, his hand still resting protectively on my thigh. “Look on the bright side, darlin’. At least we’re all in one piece.”
“Speak for yourself,” I muttered, wincing as I shifted, willing the pain to ease up in my leg. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
“That’s what happens when you swipe the legs out from under a 6 foot 5 Russian, Kat,” Connor piped up beside me. “Next time, maybe just shoot him instead.”
I twisted around to look at him. “Hey, in my defense, he had his gun trained on Rory. Was I supposed to stand by and watch him get shot? Where were you?”
Connor held up his hands in mock surrender. “I was a bit preoccupied with the two goons trying to turn me into a punching bag. Sue me.”
“Children, please,” Declan interrupted, his voice laced with exasperation. “Can we focus on the matter at hand? We’ve got a problem at home with that asshole in my house, and God knows how many of Volkov’s men are on our tail. We need a plan.”
Wren snorted as she took a sharp turn, nearly sending us all flying. “I’ve got a plan. It’s called ‘get the hell out of dodge and figure the rest out later.’ Any objections?”
The car fell silent for a moment, save for the squeal of tires as Wren continued her manic driving. Finally, Rory spoke up.
“Actually, I might have an idea,” he said slowly. “But you’re not gonna like it.”
Declan turned in his seat, eyeing Rory suspiciously. “Why do I get the feeling I’m about to regret asking?”
Rory grinned, that mischievous glint in his eye that always spelled trouble. “How do you feel about a little road trip to Nevada? ”
I groaned, immediately catching on to Rory’s plan. “Oh no. No, no, no. We are not dragging this mess to my bar.”
“Come on, Kat,” Rory pleaded, his hand squeezing my thigh gently. “It’s perfect. Remote location, off the grid from the way you described it, and Volkov’s men would never think to look for us there.”
“Exactly!” I hissed. “And I’d like to keep it that way. I left this life behind for a reason.”
The car fell silent as all eyes turned on me, and I could feel both Rory and Connor tense as Declan narrowed his eyes. “Left what life behind, exactly? Care to share with the class, little sister?”
I cursed under my breath at the slip of my tongue. Of course, none of them knew about my grandfather or who he was. That was a can of worms I’d hoped to keep firmly sealed.
“It’s... complicated,” I mumbled, avoiding his piercing gaze.
“Uncomplicate it,” Declan growled.